Chapter 168: Tears of the Giant! Tatsuya's Infiltration!
Enies Lobby Main Island, Plaza in front of the Main Gate.
What should have been a solemn and heavy government stronghold had now transformed into a meat-grinder of a battlefield.
The sounds of shouting, explosions, and clashing weapons intertwined, shaking the floating island beneath their feet.
However, blocking the path of the Straw Hat Alliance were not the ten thousand Marine elites swarming like a tide, but two insurmountable "living mountains."
"Rumble!!!!"
An earth-shattering boom resounded.
A hammer so massive it inspired despair slammed violently onto the ground.
The hard stone slabs instantly shattered, and the shockwave, mixed with gravel, sent the surrounding Franky Family underlings flying like withered leaves.
"Waaaaah!!"
"We can't even get close!! What kind of monsters are these?!!"
Zambai crawled wretchedly out of the rubble, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at the two colossal figures blotting out the sky.
Giant Race Guards Oimo and Kashi.
Clad in Viking-style armor and wielding massive war hammers and axes, they stood like guardian gods, firmly holding the gate leading to the heart of the main island.
Even the "King Bull" that the Franky Family was so proud of...
Was nothing more than a slightly larger pet in front of them.
"Two-Sword Style: Rashomon!!"
A sharp blade qi sliced through the smoke and dust, aiming straight for Kashi's ankle.
"Clang!!"
The dual blades in Zoro's hands struck the handle of the giant's battle-axe, sending sparks flying everywhere.
However, the massive counter-force made Zoro's hands go numb.
The ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, and his feet even sank into the soil.
"Tch... this guy!"
Zoro bit down on the Wado Ichimonji, cold sweat dripping from his forehead as he was forced back several steps to dissipate the force.
"His strength is ridiculous! And what is this axe made of? I can't even cut through it!"
On the other side, Sanji's figure spun at high speed in the air.
"Concassé!!"
His heel, powerful enough to shatter rock, slammed heavily into Oimo's knee joint.
"Thud!"
A dull sound echoed, but this strike, which would have crushed an ordinary person's bones, only made Oimo's body sway slightly.
The giant's skin was as hard as iron, as if covered by a layer of natural armor.
"So tough!" Sanji landed, his brow furrowed.
"Are these the warriors of Elbaf? They're like two mobile steel fortresses!"
Even the two main powerhouses of the Straw Hat Pirates...
Faced with the full suppression of these two giants with Vice Admiral-level strength, they were momentarily unable to break through and were even forced back step by step.
"We must hold this place! For the Boss! To return to Elbaf!!"
Oimo roared, swinging his massive hammer once again. The wind pressure it created made it difficult for those around him even to stand.
Seeing Zoro and Sanji locked in a hard fight, Nami gripped her Weather Stick tightly.
"What should we do... even Zoro and Sanji can't beat them?"
"Is this the power of giants? If so, how are we supposed to save Robin!"
Just as Nami was at her wits' end.
Sniper King, hiding behind a piece of ruined wall, felt his whole body jerk when he heard the words "Elbaf" and "Giant."
He thought of the two heroes who had been dueling for a hundred years for the sake of honor "Blue Ogre" Dorry and "Red Ogre" Brogy.
"Could it be..."
Usopp's heart pounded wildly.
Ignoring his mask, he rushed to Nami's side and grabbed her shoulders.
"Nami!! Quick!!"
"Have Clay fly over and tell them!! Ask them if they know Dorry and Brogy!!"
Usopp pointed at the Crow in the sky, speaking rapidly.
"Aren't they the leaders of the giants? Doesn't Clay understand the speech of all species!"
"Have Clay go ask! Hurry!!"
Nami was bewildered by Usopp's sudden excitement.
She froze for a moment, looking at the gesticulating Usopp, then tilted her head with a look that said "Are you stupid?"
"Huh? Usopp... did your brain get squeezed by a door?"
Nami pointed at the two roaring giants.
"The Giant Race is also a type of human! They speak the same common language as we do!!"
"Whatever you want to ask, can't you just shout it?! Why do you need a Crow to translate?!"
"Uh..."
Usopp's movements froze.
It was as if someone had pressed the pause button.
The next second.
"Smack!!"
Usopp slammed his hand against his forehead so hard he nearly knocked his sun mask off.
"Ah!!! Oh yeah!!!!"
Usopp clutched his head in frustration.
"I was too nervous!! I forgot about that!! They understand human speech!!"
Though he'd made a fool of himself, it actually eased the fear in Usopp's heart.
Seeing Oimo about to swing his massive hammer again, Usopp hesitated no longer.
He took a deep breath, summoned the greatest courage of his life, and ran out from behind cover.
Standing in the middle of the battlefield, he cupped his hands around his mouth and screamed at the tower-like giants with all his might.
"Hey!!!"
"You two giant uncles over there!!"
"Do you know 'Blue Ogre' Dorry!! And 'Red Ogre' Brogy from Small Garden!!"
His voice nearly cracked from the strain.
But on that deafening battlefield, those two names were like a bolt of lightning, accurately striking the souls of the two giants.
"What?!!"
Oimo and Kashi, who had been swinging their weapons, suddenly froze their massive bodies.
The wind-whipping hammer and axe stopped dead in mid-air.
The world seemed to go quiet.
Oimo looked down in disbelief, his huge eyes staring intently at the long-nosed figure on the ground, as tiny as an ant.
"Kid... what did you just say?"
Kashi's voice was also trembling; it was the longing suppressed for fifty years.
"How do you know those two names?"
"Those are our leaders... but the World Government people said they were captured by the Marines and are suffering in prison!!"
"That's a lie!! It's all a lie!!"
Usopp shouted.
"They weren't captured at all!! They're still alive!!!"
"They're at Small Garden!! For the sake of a warrior's honor, they're still dueling!!!"
"We've met them! They're our friends!! We are warriors who have earned their recognition!!!"
"So, can you let us in?!"
"What...?"
The two giants were stunned. Their weapons fell to the ground with a loud "Clang."
"Still... dueling?"
"Not captured?"
"Then these fifty years... guarding the gates for the World Government... what was it for?!"
"We were tricked?!"
Immense sorrow and rage surged into their hearts like a flood breaking a dam.
"Waaaaaaaah..."
Oimo and Kashi suddenly fell to their knees, covering their faces with their hands as tears poured from between their fingers like waterfalls, splashing heavily on the ground.
Those were tears of regret for having been deceived for fifty long years.
"The World Government..."
Oimo suddenly looked up, his originally simple eyes now burning with a sky-high rage enough to incinerate everything.
"To dare... to treat us warriors of Elbaf... like fools!!!!!"
"Roar!!"
The two giants let out a roar that shook the entirety of Enies Lobby.
They turned abruptly and picked up their massive hammer and battle-axe from the ground.
This time, their target was no longer the Straw Hat crew, but the Gates of Justice they had guarded for fifty years.
"Since you are friends of our leaders... then you are our allies!!!"
"Even if we are crushed to pieces, we will clear the path for you!!!"
"RUMBLE,!!!!"
The two giant weapons, carrying the giants' fury, slammed down violently.
The gate that symbolized the government's authority instantly shattered and collapsed under the giants' full-strength strike.
"The gate is open!!!"
"The Giant Race has turned!!!"
The Franky Family and the foremen let out a sky-shaking cheer.
With these two invincible meat-shield tanks as the vanguard, the morale of the Straw Hat Alliance instantly reached its peak.
"Charge!!!!"
The tide of people surged forward, instantly breaking through the final line of defense on Enies Lobby's main island.
...
Meanwhile.
Unlike the clamorous battlefield outside, the interior of the Tower of Law was deathly silent and dark.
This was the headquarters of CP9 and the central nervous system of Enies Lobby.
In a dark, narrow corridor.
There were no footsteps, and not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
Only a ghost-like black figure moved at high speed through the shadows of the walls.
Tatsuya did not follow the main force in a frontal assault. As he had said, his goal was to sever the enemy's "command system."
"Humming"
In that darkness, a pair of crimson eyes appeared particularly eerie.
Three black tomoe spun slowly in the pupils, pulling out streaks of red afterimages.
Sharingan, fully activated.
Tatsuya's perception network covered all the surrounding space.
"Left... three surveillance Transponder Snails."
"Right... two patrolling guards."
Tatsuya's figure, like black smoke, utilized blind spots to silently bypass all eyes and ears.
Soon, he arrived before a heavy iron door.
This was the main communication control room of Enies Lobby.
"Click."
Tatsuya gently pushed open the door.
The room was brightly lit.
A Marine communication soldier, drenched in sweat, was holding a receiver and shouting at the golden master Transponder Snail.
"Reporting to Headquarters!! Reporting to Headquarters!!"
"This is Enies Lobby! The situation..."
Before he could finish.
"Swish."
A sharp blade light flashed through the air.
The communication soldier didn't even feel pain; he only felt his vision suddenly spin.
He tried to speak, but found a thin line of blood had appeared at his throat.
"Thud."
The soldier slumped onto the control console, blood staining the complex buttons.
Without even having time to let out a scream, he completely lost his life.
Tatsuya stood by the corpse, slowly sheathing his blade.
His expression was indifferent, devoid of any pity.
On this life-and-death battlefield, mercy was cruelty to one's own companions.
"Communication severed."
Tatsuya glanced at the main console, where the signal lights were still flashing.
This place connected the entire Enies Lobby's broadcasts, Transponder Snail network, and the lines to Marineford.
"Next... is to make this island blind and deaf."
Tatsuya extended his left hand and pressed it onto the dense circuit boards.
"Zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt!!!"
Violent blue Chakra condensed in his palm instantly, turning into countless tiny electrical currents.
Boom!!
High-voltage current erupted along the lines instantly.
Sparks flew, and black smoke rose.
The entire console let out a piercing explosion, and those expensive electronic components and Transponder Snails were instantly incinerated.
"Pop! Pop! Pop!"
Surveillance screens throughout Enies Lobby went dark simultaneously, and all communication Transponder Snails drooped their heads at once, losing their vitality.
Having done all this, Tatsuya adjusted his glasses and turned to merge into the darkness.
"First step, complete."
...
The deepest part of Enies Lobby's main island.
Having crossed through layers of obstacles and sent countless Marines flying.
Luffy, alone, finally stood on the edge of the Courthouse's towering roof.
"Huff... huff..."
White steam rose from Luffy's body, a side effect of activating Gear Second. His body was covered in scars, but his eyes were brighter than ever.
Before him was a massive waterfall abyss, a hundred meters wide and bottomless.
And on the other side of the abyss was the tower that symbolized despair and judgment the Tower of Law.
The howling wind blew away his Straw Hat.
Luffy stared intently at the balcony opposite, the direction in which Robin had been taken, and the chasm he had to cross.
He could almost see that woman standing there in despair, waiting for him to redeem her.
Luffy took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling violently.
Using all the strength in his body, he let out a roar toward the high tower that had been building up for a long time, enough to shake the entire island and even reach hell:
"Robin!!"
"We've come to get you!!"
The voice pierced through the roar of the waterfall and the pressure of the Gates of Justice.
At this moment, the woman who had been abandoned by the world finally heard the call from her companions.
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